Six Major Cancer Surgeries at Tertiary Hospitals Decrease by 16.8% Compared to Previous Year

Liver Cancer Down 23% · Stomach Cancer Down 22%

As residents left hospitals, the manpower shortage continued, resulting in approximately a 17% decrease in the number of surgeries for six major cancers at tertiary general hospitals. The six major cancers targeted by the National Cancer Screening Program are stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, and lung cancer.

On the 4th, a medical official was moving near the Emergency Medical Center at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to data received by Han Ji-a, a member of the People Power Party on the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of surgeries for the six major cancers performed at tertiary general hospitals from February to July was 38,383, a 16.8% decrease compared to 46,107 during the same period last year.

The largest decreases in surgeries were for liver cancer, stomach cancer, thyroid cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer, in that order. Liver cancer surgeries performed at tertiary general hospitals from February to July numbered 1,999, a 23.1% decrease compared to 2,600 during the same period last year.

Stomach cancer surgeries decreased from 7,196 last year to 5,632 this year during the February to July period, a 21.7% reduction. During the same period, thyroid cancer surgeries decreased from 10,026 to 8,161, an 18.6% decrease, and lung cancer surgeries decreased from 6,088 to 4,971, an 18.3% decrease. Colorectal cancer surgeries decreased by 16.4%, and breast cancer surgeries decreased by 10.4%.

Han Ji-a’s office diagnosed that this reflects the reduced treatment capacity of tertiary general hospitals due to the collective resignation of residents in February. Representative Han said, "The prolonged vacancy of residents has reduced the surgical capacity for cancer patients at tertiary general hospitals, causing patients to feel anxious," and added, "To promptly resolve the medical vacancy crisis, the ruling and opposition parties, medical professionals, and the government must work together."